Restaurant has 1-drink limit for parents eating with children

CLINTON, N.Y. — At the top of a New York restaurant’s menus – right next to the martini glass logo – is the rule, “One drink policy while dining with children.”

Melisa Gravelle, general manager at Peddlers Bar & Bistro in Clifton, says she holds those words – designed to keep families safe on the road – close to her heart, according to WTEN.

“We love children,” Gravelle said. “Everybody loves children and children don’t have a voice.”

Gravelle says it’s that love that inspired the limit on how much alcohol those dining with children can have. The rule isn’t new – its been around since 2010 – but news of the unique approach to keeping patrons from driving drunk is getting attention on social media.

“I could never live with myself knowing that I killed somebody driving,” Gravelle said. “I could never do that so and it’s a choice that you can avoid.”

The policy is generally not hard to enforce, according to Peddler’s bartender Cheryl Faas, who has worked at the pub for years.

“We believe in it that much where you know you just politely explain the policy and the nice thing is we explain it ahead of time,” Faas said.

However, every once in a while, the wait staff will have to deal with customers who have a hard time with the rule, according to Gravelle.

“They do get berated at the tables and some come back very, very upset,” Gravelle said. “But the managers go to the table and they explain, we’re not picking on parents, it’s just something that we feel in our hearts is something that we can do in order to help.”

The few complaints are far outweighed by the amount of customers enjoying their meals, some of whom applaud the decision.

“Why take the chance?” customer Greg Culver said. “Definitely doesn’t make any sense. That way you keep those people off the road.”

Another customer, Barb Buckley, felt similarly.

“I’m a retired educator. I think it’s a great policy,” Buckley said. “When you think about the law, when you think about the responsibility that a parent has to protect their children.”